Furniture



NOY. 4, 1969 CASHEN ETAL 3,476,497

FURNITURE Filed Aug. 4, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.3

mvzmoas TERRY CASHEN MARC s. HERMELIN ATT RNEY Nov. 4, 1969 CASHEN ETAL 3,476,497

FURNITURE Filed Aug. 4, 1967 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTORS TERRY F. CASHEN MARC SHERME ATTORNEY 5 NOV. 4, 1969 T. F CASHEN ET AL 3,476,497

FURNITURE Filed Aug. 4, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS TERRY F. CASHEN MARC S.H ERMEL|N United States Patent 3,476,497 FURNITURE Terry F. 'Cashen and Marc S. Hermelin, St. Louis,

Mo. (both Sidney B. Ring, P.O. Box 6825, Brentwood, Mo. 63144) Filed Aug. 4, 1967, Ser. No. 658,527 Int. Cl. A47c 15/00, 7/24 US. Cl. 297-232 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to an article of manufacture useful as furniture having an original predeformation shape, which is characterized by an outer and an inner layer(s) of material(s) as exemplified by plastic foams and/or void(s), said outer layer being resilient and capable of being compressed into the inner layer(s) and/or void(s) when occupied to conform to the shape of the occupant so as to yield a post-deformation shape without directly relying for support on a frame or superstructure in a manner which makes it useful as furniture; and which returns to its original shape when unoccupied.

The style of conventional furniture, both period and modern, is well known. However, conventional furniture requires many steps in its manufacture including much handwork, which makes it expensive.

In recent years there has been a trend toward the use of many new plastics in furniture.

In addition, the present trend in furniture design has been toward novel, unusual designs which are both pleasing to the eye and functional, particularly those pieces of furniture which add further comfort to the user by conforming to the shape of his body.

We have now devised furniture of unusual design and shapes which is relatively inexpensive to make, highly functional and comfortable since it not only conforms to the shape of the occupants body but also supports the occupant without directly relying for support on a frame or a superstructure. In addition, it returns to its original shape when unoccupied or, stated another way, it has a plastic memory.

The advantages of this invention will be evident from the description contained herein taken in conjunction withn the exemplary drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross section along the center line of a spherical chair.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross section along the center line of a modified hemispherical chair.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross section along the center line of a modified hemispherical chair with a plurality of internal voids.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross section along the center line of a high chair.

FIGURE 5 is a planar view from above of an abstract design multiple-seat article of furniture.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical cross section of FIGURE 5 along line A-A.

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross section of FIGURE 5 along the line B-B.

3,476,497 Patented Nov. 4, 1969 FIGURE 8 is a vertical cross section along the center of a modified hemispherical type chair.

FIGURE 9 is the embodiment of FIGURE 8 on a pedestal.

FIGURE 10 is a vertical cross section along the center line of a cube shaped chair.

FIGURE 11 is FIGURE 10 showing a seated occupant.

This furniture is characterized by an outer and an inner layer(s) and/or void(s) comprising materials which act cooperatively to produce an article of furniture when occupied regardless of its initial configuration. For example, when the occupant of the article of furniture, whose shape is initially a sphere, is seated, the outer and inner layers act cooperatively to produce a shape which conforms sufiiciently to the shape of the occupant while maintaining suflicient resiliency to act as a supporting body without relying directly on any superstructure. By properly selecting materials for the outer and inner layer(s), or by leaving a void(s) as the inner layer, or by having a void(s) plus an inner layer(s), one achieves the desired results.

An essential feature of the present invention is that the full resilient floating support of the occupant comes directly from the foam and/0r void(s) rather than from the superstructure as is true of conventional furniture. Although plastic foams are used in conventional chairs and sofas, where they are employed as pillows and the like, such foams do not give integral or full floating support but merely provide softness and] resiliency within the confines of the furnitures frame or superstructure. In contrast, the furniture of the present invention fully supports the occupant as an independent integral unit apart from the superstructure. Thus, the furniture of this invention should be sufliciently large to fully support the occupant per se within the supporting action of the foamvoid(s) system without allowing the occupant to press against the superstructure so as to be directly supported by it.

Whereas one sits on conventional furniture, one sits in the furniture of this invention. The furniture of this invention gently embraces the occupant by spontaneously custom molding itself around the contours of his body while gently but firmly supporting his weight without relying directly on any superstructure. Since the occupant is supported by a foam of trapped air or void(s) one is literally supported on air.

Conventional furniture has a supporting frame which directly resists the natural deformation of the body. In contrast the furniture of this invention. by being its own independent integral or full floating support gives the occupant an essentially anti-gravitational feeling-like being suspended in space.

Regardless of its unfurniture look prior to seating, based on conventional furniture standards, the present furniture, because one sits in it, gives a custom fit which conforms to the unique contours of each occupant in a manner not found in other furniture. With its full custom contouring and full integral floating support system it is a new approach to the furniture art.

First, the designer of the particular piece of furniture selects the desired predeformation shape of the furniture prior to use. Then he selects the post-deformation shape he desires the piece of furniture to assume after user deformation. With these pre-deformation and post-deformation shapes in mind, the designer then selects materials which are capable of achieving: this effect. Since foamed materials, such as foamed plastics, have a great deal of resiliency or give while maintaining support, they are excellent materials to use. Since foamed plastic range from essentially rigid to high resiliency structures which deform easily, the selection of the particular ma terial will depend, among other things, on the pre-deformation design, the desired post-deformation design, the weight of the occupant, etc. By selecting the proper materials, deformation is controlled.

In addition to the use of resilient foamed plastics, an internal void(s) is very useful in achieving the desired effect. By the use of an internal void(s) (i.e. inner void(s) with no filler other than air) or a void(s) plus another filler, the void(s) is displaced under Weight deformation to achieve the designed chair shape. Stated another way, the void(s) aids in determining the general deformation contour under load whereas the foamed plastic not only aids in determining the general deformation contour but also conforms to the shape of the occupants body by its give or resiliency.

Thus, when unoccupied, i.e. pre-deformation, a chair may be spherical, hemispherical, cube, square, etc., or any other geometrical configuration. In addition it may be amorphous, or any desired abstract, fanciful or whimsical shape.

A room may be decorated with unfurniture appearing pieces of geometric or whimsical shapes which do not have the appearance of conventional furniture but which are converted from these shapes to comfortable chairs, sofas, etc. when one occupies them by sitting or lying upon them. These units may be individual chairs, sofas, alone or combined in the manner of sectional pieces to achieve extreme lengths or unusual alignments, curvatures, or other shapes.

In the preferred embodiment, the furniture comprises an outer resilient layer preferably of polyurethane foam and an inner void(s).

Any suitable method of fabricating the furniture of this invention may be employed. For example, sections of preformed foams of the same or different types may be joined together to yield the desired product.

These sections may be shaped so that the void(s) are properly located when they are joined to form the desired shape. Thus, hemispheres having voids therein may be joined to yield a full sphere with an internal void which is the sum of the voids of each hemisphere.

In addition, the plastic may be poured in a mold having the desired configuration and foamed in place to yield the desired piece of furniture. I

The outer layer of skin or coating on the foam may be obtained by a wide variety of methods. For example, the coating or skin may be imparted during the foaming process so that it is an integral part of the foam. In addition, a skin may be imparted to the open pores of the foam during bonding by proper heating and sealing. In these instances the coating is derived from the foam itself.

The coating may also be obtained by applying a material other than that obtained directly from the foams. Thus, coatings may be applied by dipping, spraying, brushing, etc., paint, plastic, lacquer, etc., to the foamed material. In addition, the other layer may be applied in the manner of conventional upholstery by covering the piece with fabric, leather, plastic, stretch fabric or stretch plastic, etc.

The furniture of this invention may be used as such without further support by allowing it to rest directly on floor or it may be placed on a support or superstructure of some kind, including for example a pedestal, legs, a solid base, etc., provided the support or superstructure does not directly confine or support the body of the occupant but rather acts as a support for the entire unit system.

The furniture may also comprise an outer layer and an inner void(s) where the void(s) is not fully inclosed. Closure is effected by resting on the floor. For example, a hemisphere of relatively rigid but resilient foamed plastic, rubber, etc. with an open base or void, etc., may be placed on the floor and employed as a piece of fumiture, provided the materials employed are capable of supporting the person without relying directly on the 4 superstructure or the articles may be placed on any suitable base. The base may be reinforced for added strength or rigidity.

The invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross section along the center line of a spherical chair in which the solid lines show the shape priod to seating and the dotted lines show the shape of the chair during seating. This spherical chair is made by joining two hemispheres of flexible foamed polyurethane plastic 1 and 2 along line 3. The core of the chair is a void 4 which during seating is compressed into dotted area 4. The combined compressible properties of the polyurethane foam and the inner void core give under the weight of the body to change a spherically shaped article as depicted in solid lines to a chair which is custom contoured to the individual human form by the weight of the sitter as depicted in dotted lines. The dotted line 1' shown in this and other drawings is the arm rest created by the sitter when the chair is occupied.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross section along the center line of modification hemispherical chair made by joining a hemisphere of more flexible foamed polyurethane 5 to a square base of less flexible, or stated inversely, more rigid foamed polyurethane 6, along line 7. Under the weight of the sitter, this modified hemisphere shape is transformed to a chair by conforming to the shape of the sitter as depicted by the dotted lines.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross section of a modified hemisphere obtained by placing a hemisphere of foamed polyurethane 8 on a square base of foamed polyurethane 9 along line 10 so that the series of inner voids 11 are positioned properly. Under the weight of the sitter, the modified hemisphere shape is changed to a chair as it conforms to the contour of the body of the sitter as shown by the dotted lines.

Although this FIGURE 3 illustrates one embodiment containing a plurality of voids, other types of voids varying in size, shape, number, etc., may also be employed.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-section along the center line of a high chair which is made by joining an elongated hemisphere of flexible foamed polyurethane 12, to a tapered square of foamed polyurethane 13 along line 14, which in turn is joined to a square base of more rigid foamed polyurethane along line 16. The elongated inner void 17 as it is compressed by the weight of the sitter assumes shape 17' as the outer elongated modified hemisphere profile in solid lines is compressed by the weight of the sitter into a high back chair as shown in the profile of dotted lines.

FIGURE 5 is a planar view of abstract design multiple seats or sofa having three seating locations 18, 19 and 20 which are each in essence modified hemispheres with bridges 2 1 and 22 joining the spheres. Each of the modified hemispheres have inner voids 18', 19', and 20', their inner positions shown in dotted lines. The sofa is made of foamed polyurethane.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical cross section of FIGURE 5 along line A-A which shows each of the three modified hemispherical seating units 18, 19, and 20 with their corresponding voids 18', 19', and 20' joined by bridges 21 and 22.

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross section along line BB illustrating the predeformation shape (solid lines) and deformation shape when seated (dotted lines) as it conforms to the sitters shape as shown in 19B which is the compressed inner void and 19A which is the compressed outer contour.

FIGURE 8 is a vertical cross section along the center of a hemispherical chair made by adhering a hemispherical foamed polyurethane unit 20* to a box-like polyurethane foam base 21 along line 22 so as to have an internal void 23 when occupied. Its predeformation shape as shown in solid lines assumes the seated contour shown in dotted line outer seated contour and in 23' the inner seated void contour.

FIGURE 9 illustrates the hemispherical seat of FIGURE 8 on a pedestal 24. It is to be noted that the pedestal superstructure does not support the occupant per se but merely the entire seating system.

FIGURE 10 illustrates a cube chair where two boxlike foamed polyurethane units of foam 25 and 26 are joined at line 27 so as to leave a void 28. The cube predeformation unit has the contour as shown by the dotted lines, when occupied.

FIGURE 11 is FIGURE 10 showing a human figure contained therein.

A discussion of various types of foamed plastics which may in whole or part be employed herein is found in the Modern Plastics Encyclopedia, 1967 edition, published by McGraw-Hill, New York, pp. 348-369, which is by reference incorporated into this application as if part hereof. This article on pp. 349 354 also discusses various types of polyurethane foams, which is the preferred material because of its excellent flexibility, resiliency and load bearing ability. However, other foamed plastics may also be employed such as those described in the above Modern Plastics Encyclopedia. In addition air or gas inflated units may be employed.

As is quite evident, other classes and types of resilient materials and configurations besides those specifically mentioned herein can be employed in this invention. It is, therefore, not only impossible to attempt a comprehensive catalogue of such resilient materials and configurations, but to attempt to describe the invention in its broadest aspects in terms of all specific materials and configurations would be too voluminous and unnecessary since one skilled in the art could by following the description and spirit of this invention herein select useful materials and configurations. This invention lies in the use of suitable resilient materials and their individual composition is important only in the sense that their properties can affect its function as suitable materials which can be arranged in a configuration to produce the fumiture of this invention. To precisely define each specific useful material and configuration in light of the present disclosure would merely call for knowledge within the skill of the art.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to obtain by Letters Patent is:

1. Independent full floating supporting furniture characterized by outer and inner layers of resilient materials and being sufilciently large enough for receiving and fully supporting its occupant therein and having an original predeformation shape prior to being occupied and a post-deformation shape after being occupied, said predeformation shape being compressed when occupant is positioned and supported therein, said outer and inner layers in combination having plastic memory, said furniture having a cube-like predeformation form, whereby occupant is supported therein and the furniture spontaneously simultaneously custom molds itself around the contours of occupants' body and gently but firmly supports occupants weight without the need for any superstructure support means.

2. The furniture of claim 1 which is further characterized by an outer layer of foamed plastic and an inner void.

3. The furniture of claim 1 which is further characterized by the use of a plurality of types of foamed plastic.

4. The furniture of claim 1 having a plurality of integral individual seating units.

5. The furniture of claim 2 having a plurality of integral individual seating units.

6. The furniture of claim 3 having a plurality of integral individual seating units.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,833,340 5/1958 Sharpiro 297458 X 3,118,153 1/1964 Hood 5345 3,175,863 3/1965 Hood 297--455 3,265,438 8/1966 Regan et a1. 297-456' X 3,276,047 8/1966 Emery 297-456 X FOREIGN PATENTS 738,119 10/1955 Great Britain. 579,057 7/ 1958 Italy.

OTHER REFERENCES Popular Mechanics, January 1945, page 41. Furniture Design, 1966-67, September 1966, page 29, Patent Office Library Card File No. TS 840 P66.

JAMES T. MoCALL, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 297-445, 455 

